Secondary Containment System

[Smith55]

Hi all,

I'm looking at some large storage tanks which require full secondary containment bunds / dikes. Some vessels store cryogenic product, and other tanks store high temperature product > 400 deg.C.

Looking for advice on what could be a suitable construction method for these bunds in terms of the non-permeable barrier system. I have experience of oil storage tanks where we used a belowground HDPE liner, but this material looks unsuitable for the high and low temperatures in question.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[zelgar]

Have you considered doubled-walled tanks? This wouldn't address any issues of secondary containment for ancillary equipment, but may be the best solution for the tanks themselves.

 

[LittleInch]

Well material that can stand the temperature and sudden cooling or heating.

I've seen pre stressed concrete for cryo tanks ( how cold?) and steel for high temp.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[HTURKAK]

Flexible synthetic membrane liners ( plastics such as PVC , HDPE ,polyolefin ..) are not suitable for the mentioned temperatures.

If the use of liner is a requirement , you should think clay liners but shall be thick enough to meet the permeability requirements Mentioned API 650 .(Section I.2, Item d.)
...

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock..

Luke 6:48

 

[JStephen]

Does the hot material solidify upon cooling?
Does the cold material boil off at ambient temperatures?
In either case, do you necessarily need impermeable barriers?
Are both hot and cold tanks in the same area, or can you have a heat-resistant dike in one place and a cold-resistant tike in the other place?
I have seen installations with an inner tank shell and outer open-top tank shell, both of the same material. Similar to a double=wall tank but the shells and bottoms are independent.

 

[Smith55]

Thanks all for the suggestions:

Zelgar - yes have considered double wall tanks but unfortunately not going to be suitable for this application.

Littleinch - thanks. Assume the pre-stressing of the concrete makes it more suitable for low temperature? Temperature in this case is < -150 C

HTRUKAK - thanks for the suggestion of clay and reference to API 650, can you recommend any further details on this, such as the type of clay and what would be typical thickness or method of construction?

 

[Smith55]

JStephen - yes and yes to the first two questions, however the volumes are quite large and the calculations seem complex to work out the dynamics to understand whether an impermeable barrier is required or not.

These are two separate dikes so design can be different for each.

Thanks for your suggestions.